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Across Europe, Germany's Dax is down 0.1% and the Cac 40 in France was 0.2% higher.

The price of oil climbed 1% as the International Energy Agency forecast demand to increase - a move which would help curb the global supply glut.

Brent crude was up 57 cents to 55.73 a barrel.

In UK stocks, high street retailer Next was in the ascendancy after the group upped its earnings outlook after "encouraging" trading.

Chief executive Lord Wolfson told the Press Association the impact of the Brexit vote on the pound "doesn't look like it's fuelling an inflationary spiral and is passing right through".

The fashion group hiked its sales and profit guidance as it said trading had turned a corner after a difficult start to its half year, although pre-tax profits still fell 9.5% to £309.4 million for the six months to the end of July.